There’s one for you, nineteen for me.
‘Cause I’m the taxman,
Yeah, I’m the taxman.
Should five per cent appear too small,
Be thankful I don’t take it all.
‘Cause I’m the taxman,
Yeah, I’m the taxman.
The Beatles song The Taxman is a very fitting start to this weeks post, considering in Canada the deadline is April 30 and in the US it is even sooner with a deadline of April 18
With a few weeks left for this year it is a great time to set up a system to hold the important papers that you will need to complete your current years Income taxes. It will not only save you time…but it could save you money…or even get you money in the form of a larger refund.
One Simple way to collect and store all of this vital information is to create a file specifically for all of the items you will need for the annual Income Tax Return. By keeping it in a spot that it is handy enough to deposit the receipts into you will be organized and ready for the “Taxman”.
How do I store all the paper that comes into my home?
One of two ways….first you need to determine if the paper is ACTIVE or ARCHIVE.
Active paper is something that has an immediate action attached to it. This needs to be stored in a location that is easily accessible so you can Just Do It! Some of the categories could be;
• To be paid
• For reading
• Current years school and activity information
• Current banking and credit card statements
• Current month utilities statements
Archive paper is something you need to keep for reference, legal or tax purposes. This paper can be stored in a secondary spot that can be accessed if necessary. Some of the categories could be;
• Insurance documents
• Automobile registration & maintenance
• Income tax records
• Medical documents, illness records and vaccination records
• Manuals and warranties
• Receipts and information on major purchases
• Copies of legal documents
• Birth, marriage, divorce, and adoption certificates
• Powers of attorney
• Wills
• Passports
• Citizenship papers
• Stocks and bond records
Elaine shares her system for filing archive paper…
For more Great Paper Organizing Tips check out this weeks Organizing Connection Special…
Paper Clutter can be found in the most interesting spots
Typically the majority of paper lands in the kitchen…however sometimes it manages to spread itself throughout the house. Take a tour of your home and look for all the spots that paper has managed to migrate to, including perhaps:
• Bedroom closet, night stands, dresser drawers and floor.
• Family room cupboards, end tables and floor.
• Living room coffee table, chairs and under furniture.
• Dining room table is a great big flat surface that is most times used for paper storage.
Why does paper land everywhere?
Because paper isn’t just one thing – it’s bills, it’s flyers, it’s magazines, permission slips, information sheets, calendars… And when something has so many possible storage places, unless you’re rigorous in maintaining it, paper ends up homeless and therefore shoved out of the way when company comes.
It’s time to turn this wilderness of paper into a paper trail.
Set aside some time to get focused on the task of collecting all the paper. Take in hand a simple laundry basket, box or other large light-weight container.
Now herd up all the paper in the house from:
• drawers
• cupboards
• closets
• tables
• under beds or sofas
• and off the floor
Collect all paper, including magazines, newspapers, manuals, warrantees, homework, and all other individual pieces of paper. Only books get excluded from the herding up. This may take some time but is quite necessary for the new system that you are going to create for the organization of the paper.
Consider this the starting point for success. A single point in time when all the paper is located in one spot.
For more Paper Herding tips check out this weeks Special on the Paper Organizing Ebook.
Have you ever wondered how people…other people manage to pay their bills on time?
These people not only pay them on time they save hundreds of dollars every year by not having to pay late fees.
It is all about having a system to manage the Bill Paying activity.
Most people rely on their memory to manage the bills and other paper that flows through the home. This is a great system if you are the only one who has to do the managing. What happens if you are not available. The system comes to a crashing halt.
Creating a system that anyone can is easy and it frees up valuable memory for the good stuff…not trying to remember what has to be paid and when.
To get you started here are the beginning steps to a Bill Payment System:
To Learn the remaining steps in the bill payment system please take advantage of our WEEKLY special. This week you can download the Organizing Connection Paper Worksheets for only $2.99. This product is normally bundled with the Organizing The Papertrail Set.
How many times do you have clean the paper off the kitchen counters or any counter in your home?
Monthly, weekly, daily….or never.
In a world driven by the conveniences of technology you would think that paper would be the least of your worries. However, the whole world has not caught up with the advancements in technology and many times you are looking at piles of papers that resemble Mount Rushmore.
Paper Management is not difficult.
The problem lies in the fact that there is not a clear paper management system. Without a system the people who live with the paper clutter are lost when it comes to the storage and retrieval of the important documents.
The solution lies in the creation of a simple, easy to manage Paper System.
Take advantage of this weeks Worksheet special to find out more about The Organizing Connection’s Paper System and how it can help you to create systems to help you Conquer your Paper Clutter
Getting up in the morning and deciding what you are going to wear can be a nightmare if you are facing a messy cluttered closet!
The number one tip to getting your closet organized is to store like items with like items.
Think of your wardrobe now and what items it contains…breaking them down into categories can help with that early morning routine of deciding what you are going to wear.
Sorting your cloths first into broad categories like- casual, business, workout, play or whatever main categories you have then once you have them in the broad categories subdivide them by function- short sleeve shirt, long sleeve shirts, sweaters…dress pants, jeans, sweats….skirts, dresses etc.
The categories are as individual as your wardrobe so make it your own…what naturally goes together?
Taking time to organize your closet can change the way your whole day goes…imagine getting up, walking to your closet and easily being able to retrieve your out fit for today?
Your bedroom is the first place you see when you wake up in the morning and the last place that you see before you drift off to dreamland.
You know what they say about first impressions….they are lasting.
A few hours in this room can make all the difference in how you start and end your day. The bedroom is the haven from the stressors of life; it needs to be an oasis where you feel like you are wrapped in comfort and security.
Now, this does not mean that you are going to have a magazine perfect bedroom.
What it will mean, is by keeping the items in the room current for the person and by reducing clutter your bedroom will look and feel like the Haven it is meant to be.
Sweet Dreams…for tips and techniques on how to create this Oasis, get help now and learn the 6 steps organizing experts use every day for only $9.99.
Having an organized closet can be one of the best ways to save time and stress in your daily routine.
This is a project that can be completed in one day. But before you plunge right in here are some steps that can help make the process more efficient.
1. First have a plan as to what you want the closet to function like when it is finished. Keeping in mind the size of the closet and the amount of items to be stored and containerized.
2. Pick up the tools you need to complete the job. For a closet organization you will need bags for the donation items and the garbage, baskets or containers for the similar items as you are organizing and hanging clothing rack, this will make the job at hand much easier.
3. It always gets really messy before it gets neat. You will need to empty the closet completely so you have a clean slate to work from. This is a good time to either give the walls a good washing or it may be time for a fresh coat of paint. You will also want to get out your measuring tape and size up the area for a new closet organization system(if it is in the budget).
4. Next it is on to the challenging part; the sort and the purge. Here are a few questions to ask yourself as you are struggling through this part. Do I love this item? Does this item make me look awesome?
For more tips and purge questions you can download the Bedroom Organizing worksheets and an instructional Video on How-to organize the bedroom you can download it all now for only $9.99
It is evident in this stressed filled world that we are existing in, people feel like they are alone, even when they live with other people.
No wonder!
The family meal has been replaced by meals that are consummed on the run.
TV viewing is happening in several different rooms so people can watch what they want to.
Schedules are so demanding and family members are running in multiple directions.
Of course the Team approach has broken down, there is no point of connection. How you can be fully present and help your team if you can’t even help yourself?
Time to take back control and get everyone on the same page.
First step is shifting accountability back to the rightful owners.
In this case it is the Bedroom and all that it entails. The bedroom occupants have a responsibility to take care of their STUFF. Unless they are too young. Too young means, can’t put toys away/laundry away/make beds. The level of responsibility increases with age.
Here are a few ideas of areas of concern for the bedroom.
Closet management
Bed making
Dish clearing
Floor cleaning
Fashion maintanance
ETC!
If it is not your room and you have expectations that are not realistic for the person that owns this area of the home then it may be time to adjust your expectations.
Communication about expectations and open dialogue are critical for all families and by working together you set the tone for the way the family exists together.
For more information and tips on managing this critical area of the home you can download instant help, created by professional organizers Elaine Shannon and Kim Eagles. Get help today in the privacy of your home for only $9.99.
What do you do with piles of pictures, special cards and mementos?
These special keepsakes are the physical representation of the memories that we have stored away. However, if you plan to keep all of the memories of days gone by be prepared to spend some money for storage and valuable time for managing what could be a full time job.
Realistically speaking you want to keep a reasonable amount of keepsakes in a system that is easy to use and manageable. How you ask?
Well you containerize!
A simple storage container with letter sized hanging folders in the container.
For more tips and steps on creating this treasure box that will bring joy for years to come visit Organizing Connection and learn how to organize like the pros. The Bedroom Organizing HOW-To video set also has worksheets an an e-book with pages of time saving organizing tips that you can download immediately.
house. Take a tour of your home and look for all the spots that paper has managed to migrate to, including perhaps:
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